Dye-tub apparatus.



`W. M. RO-SSITER.

DYE TUB APPARATUS.' APPLIOATION FILED D110. 24, 1909.

Patented Oct. .24,` 1911.

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DYE TUB APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED DEU. 24, 1909. 1,006,502.

Patented Oct.24, 1911.

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DYE TUB APPARATUS.

APrLIoATIoN :FILED 1330.251909.

4Patented oen-24, l1911.

W. M. ROSSITER. DYE 'TUB APPARATUS. APPLIUATION FILED 1120.24, 1909.

1,006,502, Patented 001.24, 1911.

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gvvuamffoz W. M. ROSSITER.

DYE TUB APPARATUS.

.Patented 0013.24, 1911.

APPLIOATION FILED DBO. 24, 1909.

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I f Wiz'am IY. 257036 fel? UNITED sTATEs PATENT oFFioE.

WILLIAMilVI. ROSSITER, OF SUNBURY, PENNSYLVANIA.

DYE-TUB APPARATUS.

of dyeing apparatus in which a vat is employed in conjunction withdriving and conveyer rollers.

The invention has special reference to dyeing apparat-us which isemployed in the dyeing of textile fabrics and especially in' the form ofstrips, bands or sheets, and has for its object to accomplish a uniformdyeing of the materiall from end to end and from side to side. Greatdiiculty has been experienced hitherto in dyeing fabric uniformly onaccount of the strength of the dye bath varying during the operation ofdyeing.

Another obj ect ofthe invention is to over- A come this difficulty bymeans -of which constant strength of the dye bath. is practicallyassured.

Another object of the invention is to apply the dyeing liquid to thefabric in such a manner as to produce a uniform acti-on on every part ofthe goods.

Another object of the invention is to recover the water used for power4for the purpose of washing the goods.

Another object of the invention isto utilize the condensation of thesteam used in heating the dye bath-for power.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved dye tubapparatus means of which goods may be removed from the tub without lossof time. A

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view inelevation of a dye tub apparatus, constructed in accordance with thisinvention. Fig. 2 is a detail view, partly in longitudinal section andbroken away, of a portion of a roller showing means for securing itsshaft in place. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the invention, partly inhorizont-al section, disclosing a portion of the driving mechanism. Fig.4 is a longitudinal section of the apparatus on the line Fig. 3. Fig. 5is a detail view, in perspective and partly broken away, of one ofclosing the water motor.

vat.

lSpecification of Letters Patent. i Patented Oct. r24, 1911.

" Application tiled December '24, 1909.

Serial No. 534,833.

the gates. Fig. 6 is an enlarged view, in cross section, on the liney-g/, Fig. 3, dis- Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views yof the means fordisconnecting the driving rollers from the operating mechanism. Fig. 9is an end view of the apparatus. Fig. 10 is a detail view in perspectiveshowing the branch pipe utilized in washing the goods. Fig. 11 is adetail view of a portion of one ofthe conveyer rollers and its pivotalsupport at one end of the Fig.v l2 is a detail view showing a portion ofthe operating mechanism.

In carrying out the invention,-'I provide a vat 1, preferably havingmetallic ends 2, wooden sides 3, and a wooden bottom 4e, with an outlet3 and stopper 4', said metallic ends being secured to the wooden sidesand bottom by means of a flange. 5 and bolts 6 extending through j saidtiange 5 and the wooden sides and bottom and through a metallic stripI7, which strengthens and reinforces the vat. The sides 3 are secured tothe bottom 4 by bolts 8 extending fro-1n top to bottom of the sides.

- Any suitable mechanism may be employed for operating the drivingrollers of the apparatus, and as here shown in Fig. 6 a water motor 9.isemployed mounted in a casing 10 supported on a shelf or extension 11 ofone of the met-allie ends of the tub, said shelf being braced bvbrackets 12 secured to the metallic ends o-f the tub. In conjunctionwith the water motor .an operating mechanism is employed mounted in acasing 13 on the shelf 11'` and in end casings 14the shaft 15 :of thewater motor having on its end a worm gear 1,6 meshing with a worm wheel17 mounted on la shaft 18 which is connected to a shaft 18 by a lockingjoint hereinafter described.

vThe shafts 18 and 18, extend through the ends of the casing 13 and eachhas on its outer end a beveled gear wheel 19 meshing. with a beveledgear wheel 20, said beveled;

gear wheel 20 being mounted on a shaft 22 slidably connected therewith,as hereinafterdescribed, which shaft 22 is provided at its outer endwith a knob or handle 23, the inner. end of said shaft 22 being detach.bly connected to the shaft of the driving roller by means of a couplingjoint formed of the two interlocking parts 24 and 25, the part '25 beingon the outer end of the `bearing spindle 26 of the shaft 27 andprojecting from the driving roller 28, the spindles 26 of the shafts 27ofthe driving rollers detachably resting in vertical U-shaped seats orbearings 29. The beveled gear wheel 20 is held from turning on its shaft22 by means ofsa spline 30 which enables the shaft 22 to be movedlongitudinally through thecasing 19 by means of the knob or handle 23,to engage or disengage the shaft 22 from the shaft of the driving roller28. It will be seen that by means of this construction the drivingrollers may be disconnected from the operating rmechanism and lifted outof their bearings when it is necessary to remove them. The shaft 18 andbeveled gears 19 and 20 may be' disengaged from the worm 'wheel 17 bymeans of the coupling joint 31, and a lever handle 32 projecting upthrough the casing 13.

Water may be supplied' to the'water motor 13'by means of a pipe 33connected with the motor and controlled by a valve 34. The motor may bedriven by means of the water of condensation of the steam which ispassed through a heating coil located in the bottom of the vat, thewater of condensation flowing from said coil primarily and secondarilywhen the water of condensation has been emptied from the coil by the eX-haust from said coil.

.Thepipe for heating the dye yliquid consists of a steam pipe 35 whichenters the vat-at the end opposite to the motor and entends over thebottom of the vat in folds. or convolutions, said pipe 35 passing outthe other end of the vat and connecting with the-motor through the pipe33, the passage of water to the pipe 33 being controlled by a valve 36.The steam being admitted at one end ofthe vat through the pipe 35 andpassing through the convolutions or coils, which extend through the colddye over the bottom'of the dyevat, is condensed thereby and is thenconveyed directly to the motor, the valve 34 being closed and the valve36 being open. As the motor 13 operates, the water is dischargedtherefrom through a tapering discharge passageway 37 to which isconnected, by means of a coupling 38, branch pipes 39 having endportions 40 which project through the end of the vat into the same, andwhich are utilized for washing fabric. Said coupling 38 is also providedwith a discharge pipe 41 through which the waste water may be carriedolf to a sewer or. other place of discharge.

The iow -of liquid through the branch l pipes 39 and 41 is controlledbya valve 42 operated by means of a thumb nut or handle 43 so that whenit is desired to use branch pipes 39 and 40kto convey water to wash thegoods in the vat, the pipe 41 is closedf by meansof said valve 42, whichalso serves to close the branch pipes 39 when desired to permit thewater discharged from the motor to pass oft' through the waste pipe 41.By e means of the main supply pipe 33 with its controlling valve 34 andthe steam pipe 35 with its controlling valve 36, either the water ofcondensation from the steam'may be utilized to drive the motor 13, thevalve 36 being open and the valve 34 closed; or else by closing thevalve 36, the motor 13 may be driven by Water passing through the mainsupply pipe 33, the valve 34 being open. The steam is admitted in oneend of the coil, and as it passes through the coil, which is in directcontact with the cold dye, condenses and is then conveyed directly tothe motor, for the purpose of furnishing power; or may be conveyed to areservoir or storage tank thereby storing up a supply of water, whichmay then be conveyed to the motor or various motors which may beemployed throughout the dye house. By means of this utilization of thewater of condensation in the steam pipe or by means of the Water fromthe main supply pipe, a battery of four tubs or vats may be driven withone motor, the power from the motor being transmitted to the drivingrollers and thc other vats by means of alined shafts and suitable gears.

In addition to the driving rollers 28 which are mounted on the top ofthe ends of the vat, conveyer rollers 43 are employed having theirbearings in the ends of the vat and located toward the top of the vatand adjacent to its sides, and other conveyer rollers 44 are locatedadjacent to the bottom of the vat and at a distance from its sides withtheir bearings mounted in the ends of the vat. The fabric 45 is mounted,as shown, on the driving rollers 28 and extends downward over thetubular rod 46 which, adjacent to its ends,.is mounted on transverserods 47 projecting through a post 48 and extending to the sides of theends 2, said y rod 46 being held in yielding position by means of aspring 49 against the fabric 45. The fabric y45 extends down over therollers 43 and 44 when it is yto be washed, as shown in dotted lines inFig. 6.

As shown in Fig. 6, the branch pipes 40 project into the vat through oneend thereof, each above a conveyer roller 43, and, in conjunctiontherewith gates 50 4are em-` ployed, which consist of longitudinalstrips of metal extending from end to end of the vat and hinged by meansof rodsv51 having their ends mounted in the end of the vat at each sideof the branch pipe 40. Both of said gates bear against the roller 43,the fabric 45 passing between' one of said gates and the roller 43. Itwill be seen that by means of this arrangement a discharge of waterpassing out of the branch pipes 40 is discharged between the gates 50onto the fabric as it passes over the rollers 43. `Oneshown in Fig. 9 bymeans of an arm 52 on I `one end of the vatr and held up against a .lll

stop pin 53 by means of a spring 54 connected to the arm 52 atr one endand at its other end to the rod 47. f

In order to retain the driving rollers 28 in position, their shafts areeach provided at one end with a grooved .pulleyr 28', over whichextendsa looped cord 29', the loop 29 depending from`the roller 28 andhaving suspended therefrom by means of a hook 30 or other suitabledevice, a weight 31, as shown in Fig. 9. By this means the shaft of theroller 28 will be prevented from jumping out of its bearings. Y r Inorder to overcome the diticulty of uneven dyeing, I employ an endlessbelt 55 of material that has great absorbing power, said belt extendingover and depending from a roller 56 centrally located in the vat at alittle distance from the surface ofthe liquid dye 57 with its bearingsin the metallic ends of the vat, said belt being of suitable width andof a length adapting it to depend in and be partly immersed in theliquid dye 57, as shown in Fig. 6.

As shown in Fig. 6, the fabric 45 passes down over one of the conveyerrollers 43 and then over the conveyer roller 56 and bearing upon thebelt 55 and then over the other conveyer roller 43 and up .to theothervdriving roller 28. Owing to the pressure of the fabric upon the endlessbelt 55, there will be sufficient friction to cause the belt 55 .and itsroller 56 to rotate, thereby conveying a constant supply of dye from thebath to the fabric, the fabric coming in direct contact with theabsorbing belt 55 so as to dye conveniently from side to side and fromend to end.

By means of this device, no other tank or vat is necessary to prepare ormix the dye in as the dye may be mixed in the same yat in which thegoods are placed.

Hitherto, at ithe beginning of the operation of dyeing, the fabric isrolled on a Wooden roller on a separate machine` for that purpose; it isthen placed on a shaft which is mounted in a pair of open hearings somedistance above the open bearings 29 at the "ends of the vat, and then isrolled off on one of the top rollers 28 which have hitherto beenstationary on the vat before it can be dyed, which takes up considerabletime. When the goods have been dyed and washed,

the same process must be` gone through before the fabric can be removedfrom the tub, which likewise consumes a great amount of time. I

Referring to Fig. 2, the shaft 27 of the driving roller 28 is providedwith a notch 58 which is engaged by means of a spring catch 59 mountedin a recess 60 on the roller 28. By means of this device, the shaft willbe held against longitudinal movement. The

vin the steam goods may be rolled up on this improved roller and placeddirectly on the dye tub shaft ready for the process of dyeing,theredischarge passageway from said motor, branch dischargepipesextending from said passageway and projecting into the vat, and a steampipe entering the vat, extending in undulations over the bot-tom of thevat, and pass-ing out of the vattto the main supply 0f the motor.

2. In an apparatus of the character de-A scribed, a vat, drivingrollers, and a series of conveyer rollersmounted therein, a motor foroperating the driving rollers,\a discharge passageway from said motor, amain supply pipe connected with said motor,

' branch discharge pipes extending from said discharge passageway, apart of said branch pipes projecting into the vat, a valve controllingthe passage of liquid from the motor to said branch pipes, and a steampipe l entering the vat and extending in folds over the bottom of thevat and passing out of the Vat to the main supply pipe of the motor.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, a vat, driving andconveyer rollers supply pipe connected with said motor, a j

mounted therein, a motor for operating the driving rollers, a main.supply pipe connected with said motor, a discharge passage- Way fromsaid motor, a 'pipe joint coupling and valve at the lower end of saidpassageway, branch discharge pipes extending from said coupling aportion of which project into the vat, a steam pipe entering the vat andextending in folds overthe bottom of the vat, and passing out of the vatto the main supply'pipe of the motor, and a valve pipe adjacent to themain sup- Ply rupe i `4. In an apparatus of theA character described, avat, driving and conveyer rollersmounted therein, gates located adjacentto two of said conveyer rollers, a main supply pipe connected with saidmotor, a motor for operating the driving rollers, a discharge passagewayfrom said motor, branch discharge pipes extending from said dischargepassageway and projecting into the Vat and above said gates and theirrollers, and a steam pipe entering the vat and extending in -folds overthey bottom of the vat, and

rollers mounted therein, a pair of hinged gates forming a trough locatedat each side of the vat and extending from end to end thereof andresting against a conveyer roller, and Water discharge pipes prject-inginto the vat atone end thereof, each pipe projecting between a pair ofgates above a conveyer roller.

6. In an apparatus of the character de scribed, a vat, -conveyer rollersmounted on the upper ortion 0f the ends of the vat, and pairs of gatesforming troughs and consist-ing of longitudinal strips of metal eX-tending from end to end of the vat, each pair of gates being hingedabove each of said conveyer rollers, one of said gates resting againstthe said roller by gravity and the other gate being kyieldingly heldagainst said roller.

7. In an apparatus of the character .de-l

scribed, a vat formed with Wooden sides,

metallic ends elevated'above said sides, said sides and bottom beingfastened with reinforcing metallic strips, driving rollers and a seriesof conveyer rollers having their ends mounted in the ends of said vat, amotor for operating the driving rollers, a main supply pipe connectedwith said motor a steam pipe extending in undulations over the bottom ofsaid vat and connecting the main supply pipe'with the motor, branchdischarge pipes connected with said motor and with the vat, and alsoWith apoint of discharge, means for governing the discharge of Waterthrough the discharge pipe, and means for independently closing theconnection with the main supply pipe and the steam pipe with said motor.

In testimony whereof I hereunto atiix my signature in presence of twoWitnesses.

' WILLIAM M. ROSSITER. Witnesses:

LUCIAN I-I. GUYON, AGmo. E. DEPPEN.

